Hiccups in Children

Hiccups happen when the diaphragm tightens up. (The diaphragm is a muscle used in breathing. It sits like a cap on top of the stomach.)

Causes

Babies usually get hiccups because they swallow air when feeding. The stomach gets bigger and squeezes the diaphragm. Sucking hard or eating too much can make hiccups worse. It helps to burp the baby often when feeding.

Older children get hiccups from eating or drinking too much too fast. Drinking carbonated or fizzy drinks is a common cause. An upset or too-full stomach can lead to hiccups. Hiccups can hurt, but they are usually harmless. And they don’t last very long.

Self-Care

• Give your child 1 teaspoon of sugar. Have him or her swallow it fast. Do it 1 or 2 more times, once every 2 minutes, if the hiccups don’t stop right away.
• Give babies older than 6 months a swallow of water or let them suck on their pacifier.
• If all that doesn’t work, try this: Gently push down the back of your child’s tongue with the handle of a spoon. Do it 3 or 4 times.
• Don’t scare the child to try to make the hiccups stop.
• Have your child drink water with their head forward and down.
• Here are some old folk cures you can try:
  • Hold your child’s tongue with your clean thumb and index finger. Gently pull on the tongue.
  • Give your child a little cracked ice to swallow.
  • Have your child drink a glass of water fast.